Explosions hits northern Nigerian Kano city, killing at least five

January 21, 2012 11:51 am

KANO, Nigeria, Jan. 21 — At least five people were killed and several others injured in a series of explosions in different part of Nigeria's northern city of Kano on Friday, police and witnesses said.

State police spokesperson Musa Mogaji confirmed earlier the incidents to Xinhua in Kano, the state capital, saying heavy casualties are feared.

A Xinhua reporter in the state said the explosions were recorded at the zone one police headquarters, Zaria road police station and the Palm center police station as well as other places.

Three people were killed in the explosion that hit the police headquarters and at least two others died in the blast at the passport office, witnesses said.

There is no immediate claim of responsibility from any group. But security sources in the state who also confirmed the blasts, said it is believed to have been carried out by the Boko Haram sect.

Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesperson Yushau Shuaibu confirmed to Xinhua in a text message that there was an explosion at a police office in Sharada area of Kano.

The attack came barely few days after the escape of the alleged mastermind of the 2011 Christmas day bombing in Madalla, a suburb of north central Niger State.

On Christmas Day last month, a bomb attacked the Catholic church outside Abuja, capital of Nigeria, killing 37 people and injured 57 others.

The militant group Boko Haram later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Another suicide bomb blew up the U.N. Nigeria headquarters in Abuja in last August, killing at least 24 people. (PNA/Xinhua) scs/jsd